The Human Rights Actions Network
www.derechos.org/human- rights/actions/
ACTION REQUEST
URGENT ACTION - OBSERVATORY BOL 001 / 9709/OBS 011 Harassment /Threats BOLIVIA September 24th 1997 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint FIDH and OMCT programme, request your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bolivia : Description of events : The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has to express grave concern at the systematic harassment of Mr. Waldo ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ since the beginning of 1997. Mr ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ is, President of the Permanent Human Rights Assembly of Bolivia (APDHB), a member organisation of both FIDH and OMCT. On January 25th 1997, Mr. ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ was abducted by a group of eight persons who subjected him to torture over a period of about three hours before leaving him in a cell of the Technical Judicial Police (see appeal BOL 290197 dispatched by OMCT). Numerous Human Rights organisations then took up the case: the FIDH sent a mission to Bolivia in order to inquire into the events identify those responsible and request the authorities to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ Apparently certain officers belonging to the Technical Judicial Police have been implicated in this affair, yet up to now only General Willy ARRIAZA, Commander of the Bolivian National Police, has been removed from his post. No result has been published from the inquiry carried out by the Chambers of Deputies' Commission on the Constitution Justice and Judicial Police, nor has it been examined by the Chamber of Deputies. According to information received from the Bolivian Permanent Human Rights Assembly, since his abduction Mr, Waldo ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ and his family have received repeated death threats over the telephone at their home and also at the college attended by his children. In March of 1997, he was forced to move house as the Bolivian authorities had neither taken measures to protect him, nor to investigate the threats made against him. On September 1st 1997, a woman telephoned the headquarters of the APDHB to inform Mr. Waldo ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ that his youngest son had been run over by a car in the centre of La Paz. After investigation, it turned out that his son was at the dentist. Nevertheless, the event demonstrates that the members of the ALBARRACIN family are being followed, since the son was actually in the area where the alleged accident was supposed to have taken place. Following this, Mr. Waldo ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ filed a complaint with the Bolivian Government against the actions of extreme psychological harassment aimed at him, his family and his organisation. Action requested: i take immediate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Waldo ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ and his family; ii request that the Chambers of Deputies' Commission on the Constitution Justice and Judicial Police publishes its findings and that proceedings against those involved in the abduction be initiated as soon as is possible; iii carry out a thorough and impartial investigation of the acts described above in order to identify those responsible for the acts of systematic intimidation of Mr. ALBARRACIN SANCHEZ and his family, and ensure that all those responsible be prosecuted and duly punished; iv take urgent measures in order to guarantee that non-governmental human rights organisations and their members enjoy, without hindrance, freedom of action in the promotion and defence of fundamental rights and liberties; v more generally, to abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Conventions ratified by Bolivia. Addresses: S.E. Lic. Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada, Presidente de la República, alacio de Gobierno, La Paz, Bolivia. Fax : + 5912 392606 Dr. Franklin Amaya, Ministro de Gobierno, Ministerio del Interior, Av. Arce esq. Belisario Salinas, La Paz, Bolivia. Fax : + 5912 371334 Dr. Antonio Aranibal Quiroga, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto, Ministerio de Relaciones Exeriores y Culto, La Paz, Bolivia Fax : + 5912 371155 Embassies of Bolivia in your respective countries Geneva - Paris 24th September Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply. Ben Schonveld Projects Manager Case Postale 119 37-39 Rue de Vermont
